The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-20
THE REPUBLICAN OUTLOOK.

THE REPUBLICAN OUTLOOK
The Republican conference to be held in
this city, to-day will be an informal opening
of the campaign of 1888. Though no attempt
will be made to forestall the official action of
the party in regard to platform or candidates,
the free expression of opinion and exchange
of views among representative Republicans
from all parts of the State will have a ten
dency to crystalline opinion. 1t will be
conference of live Republicans, held for the
good of the cause and to prepare the way for
other movements to follow. The lssu-
ance of the call and the general response from
all parts of the State indicate an earnest and
hopeful feeling among Republicans that Is
likely to lead to very active and aggressive
campaign IN this State next year. This
is well. There cannot be too much
earnestness aggressiveness infused
into the campaign, provided they do
not take the form of over-confidence. The
Republicans of Indiana have right to feel
hopeful but not oyer-confident. They can
carry the State next wear, but not easily. 1t
after hard fight in which all our forces will
have to be brought into action and handled to
the best possible advantage. In short, it will
not do TO underrate the strength or the
advantages of our opponents, or to rely too
implicitly on our own. True, we carried the
State last year, and so far the situation IS in
our favor. But Indiana is peculiarly subject
to political changes; the margin on either
side is small and if we expect to hold the
State next year we must fight for it. Last
year was sort of off year for the Democracy.
It was the first State election since the presi-
Dental, and they somewhat handi-
capped by circumstances connected with the
national administration. The Republicans
had plenty of splendid campaign material,
most excellent leadership, made an agrees
i've, winning fight from the start and won
brilliant victory. There is reason why
they should not do the same next year,
though it may take harder fight The
Democracy, so far as their relations with the
national administration are concerned, are,
possibly, in better political shape now than
they were last year. There has been larger
distribution of the spoils. and consequently
there may be less friction and more harmony.
They have the prestige of being 'in' and
controlling the national government and
patronage. The appointment of. Don Dlckin-
son, of Michigan, Postmastergeneral,
means that the tremendous patronage of the
Postofice Department is to bssdsed for all
there is in it. So with other departments of
the government The administration will
not be handicapped next year by any civil
service pretensions, and it will fight to win.
This situation must be faced fairly and
squarely.
On the other hand the Republicans have
the prestige of recent victory, the framework
of a thorough organization, the enthusiasm OF
a good cause, and incomparably the best OF
the argument and issues involved In the
opinion of the Journal the campaign in Indi-
ana next year should be made largely on State
issues National candidates and questions
will, of course, demand full share of atten-
ton, but it would be great mistake not to
recognize the paramount Importance of issues
which played so prominent part in the last
campaign, and which current events are still
forcing to the front. The outrageously unfair
apportionment of the State still exists by
which one-fourth of its voters practically
DISTINGUISHED. The prostitution of the State
institutions for partisan purposes, and
the grjss Encouragement of the insane
hospital, still continue. The Governor
himself has virtually admitted that the Harri-
son gang ought to go by making feeble pre-
tense of removing them, yet the Harrison
gang still holds on. The overthrow of popu-
lar suffrage as expressed in the election of
Acknowledgement Robertson, the bold
usurpation of Green Smith and the revolu-
tionary proceedings of last winter have made
deep impression on the popular mind. These
and other State issues furnish campaign
weapons ready for and as experience has
proved very effective ones. Whatever the
national issues may be, and some of them are
already foreshadowed, State issues so impor-
tant as those above indicated will come closer
home to the business and the bosons of Indi-
ana people and they must not be swallowed up
or forgotten. 1t is presumed the discussions
of the conference on these and other matters
bring the party into that perfect accord which
should precede entrance great contest.
TREATING THE SURPLUS,
There is common consent upon the necessity